The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-12-17

her voice was soft, almost caressing.
eff it were so, you know that am not
engaged, don't you? like Horace Binns
ever so much. He is nice fellow, isn't
he? As good as gold"
"Yes. Ididn't quarrel with your choice,
but"
A man came up and begged Marion to
dance as agreed, and after a moments hes
itation she rose, gave me her fan, and Or
dered me to stay where 1 was till she re-
turned. held that fan as if it were the
wing of an angel. No Japanese could have
regarded with greater tenderness and awe
the soul-crystal containing the final and
purified atoms of an ancestor. Drawing in
the perfume of the night and the faint
fragrance lingering about the fan / looked
down the veranda and saw Mrs. Larkin
seated in somewhat kittenish way on the
top step and Tommy Moores head on a
level with her knee. Suddenly she made
a gesture of disgust, looked round, and
seeing tall gentleman with short beard
gazing at her contemplatively sprang up
and almost threw herself into his arms.
They turned and walked up the veranda
while she chung to his arm aud talked ex-
citedly. As she reached the door the light
fell on them and | saw she was excited.
"Oh, you darling, you always come just
when you're most needed Fancy what
those wretched old men at the club have
been saying about me; horrid gossips
They say we are separated, and | am here
to get divorced
Mr.. Larkin stopped short and never
moved muscle.
''And why just now in timer"
because, because that odious Mr.. Moore
dared-he dared-to say such familiar
things"
Larkin raised his eyebrows inquiringly
in the direction of Tommy, who was stand,
ing alone on tho walk beyond the steps,
Mrs Larkin nodded and said quickly
"But it makes no difference now. Don't
be angry-he meant no harm"
"Just wait one MIR, said Larkin.
The Fefanda was luckily deserted. 1t
took him one minute to reach Tommy, one
minute to lay him out on the soft sward,
and one minute more to stroll back placidly
toward his wife. She had sunk on the
chair left by Marion, wringing her hands
and moaning under her breath:
"0h, he is so hot-tempered, so hot-tem-
pered.'
"Nobody has seen it, said l. "'Tis a
good lesson for Tommy-there he goes like
a rocket, and Newport will not see him
again this season."
As Larkin came up with handkerchief
loosely thrown round bis left hand who
should issue from the door but Marion !?
She paused, and Mrs. Larkin rose again
and hurried away to her husband as If she
had been caught in some misbehavior, All
Marion could see was her excitement and
desire to avoid notice.
Yet her voice was even softer than be-
fore, when l preached again the perious
topic-that acceptance reported as over
heard between her and Horace Binns.
Still, l detected powerful effort on her
part to steady herself.
"Anyhow," she said at last, II do not
see what moves you so. You agree he is
a good fellow. What is the matter?'
She rose, and we walked slowly down
= !, - Ia T. was several minutes be-
the veranuS.-
fore could say: vm,,u,u,,. Nm
"You know what only too well. Is is
possible you are not aware that | only exist
for you, that"
Certainly Marion was giving me every
opportunity to unbosom myself 1t was
almost suspicious to find her not even try
ing to get away from subject which was
always on my heart-one that too often ap-
preached my lips for so clever girl not to
realize its presence. Yet l was angry at
myself to be forced to this point just when
in the nature of things we might be inter-
rupted at any moment; besides, it suddenly
struck me had no sort of idea what Ma
rion meant to do or say. felt in my bones
that the time was most inauspicious, but at
the same time Marion seemed to will me
to speak. 1 lost my head little; perhaps
my tone was sarcastic; perhaps there was
touch of affectation or even of burlesque in
my manner. l turned to her, and with
formal bow said:
81 have the honor, Miss Mason, of ask
ing your hand in marriage
Marion began to sink slowly before me
into al old-fashioned courtesy, on recover
ing from which she said in stately way
"And l have the honor of accepting your
offer"
l was speechless with emotion for some
time, but, on reviving, had just began to
murmur incoherent words when Marion
touched my arm
"You have offered yourself very properly
and been accepted. hope you enjoy it.
Unfortunately it cannot last Please con-
slider from this moment our engagement
broken"
"Broken? What do you mean?"
"Nothing-a within. 1t pleased me to
have you offer yourself, accept you, and
break the engagement the same moment.
Now let us be friends-you are much bet
ter calculated for that than anything else. p"
"Good heavens Are you or am I
mad?"
Neither. Just silly children who ought
10 be whipped and put to bed. But give
me your arm. l have promised every
dance after the cotillion."
sTo whom ?"
"Horace Binns."
That is the way it happened.